Saigon feels like a separate country with are many districts, the sheer size and the urban landscape. Enjoying the lifetime in the city and find new places every weekend, sometime back to the past by having a street coffee and see the slow life of local people here.
Saigon are very special because every district, you can see every working of locals here. Almost the activity of them are traditional working, some modern district have many high towers but can’t seek the quiet of small town before. Some of place you should discover are the China Town in District 5 and 6, huge shopping malls and modern town in District 1, new city in District 2, Korean Town in District 7 and many small shopping store in District 3.
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Acknowledge about the districts in Saigon
Go around the Saigon is not difficult, the traffic can be crazy, but don’t worry, they will make concessions each other. Renting a motorbike, using Google Map and travel by yourself in Saigon. It you are staying in District 1 and understanding more about this modern city. Go further by riding to district 5 and 6 to explore the Chinese activity with many old small house, the design of old apartment looks like Hong Kong 1960s. In the morning, you can see the local activity of people, it very noise. The place you must visit is Cho Lon Market, you can buy a lot of things in here with a local price. In the night, you can have some of Chinese street food here.
District 10 and 11
After visited China town, go around the district 10 and 11, there are many beautiful pagodas and food taste. If you have more time, seat in a small plastic of a street coffee with cafe sua da enjoy the lifestyle of local people.
In district 10, go to Nguyen Tri Phuong street which place is the local young people gather, eating and chatting every night. Try some of foods in here if you want to know more the local food of them. Visiting to Ho Thi Ky market, which is the flower market of Saigon and there are many Cambodian people live here and sell Cambodian street food like sweet soup, grill pork, noodle, beverage and drinks, etc.
Move to the district 2 and 7, there are two modern districts with wealthy people, it’s very quiet and peace. Especially is district 7, which is the place of Korean come there and try to eat Korean foods, it’s very delicious by some of unique dishes such as: cold noodles, grill chicken with cheese, Korean BBQ style, etc. The author often has dinner in Korean restaurants in here.
If you want to visit like this, reading the map before you go to remember the basic map because there are many streets, you will get lost easily. If you have any problem, you can find more Vietnamese young people, they speak english well, find them in many blogs, facebook or page. They are willing to help you if they can speak English.
Go further to the Mekong Delta with The Floating Market.
Travel to the Mekong Delta, you can see the local activity of people live with river, they do all of business in a boat such as sell local fruits, foods, rice, even you can have a breakfast meal in here. Some of wonderful things you will see is the house built on the water. Their transportation of them are boat or canoe, the main activity of them is distributing goods by boat. More and more day, it becomes a floating market. There are more than 1000 species of animals and plants, especially are fish and water rice.
This place so far away from Saigon, you can travel here by bus or a tour. Come here and seat on the boat of locals people, try many fresh local foods or having breakfast in here almost is noodle. The cost are very reasonable, go to there and spread yourself with the local people here, they are very friendly in spite of can not speak English.
The biggest island in Vietnam, Phu Quoc Island
This island has many beautiful beaches and the travel in here are very developing. It located in the Gulf of Thailand and very famous about the fish sauce and black pepper. You can visit there by plane or 8 hours seat on a bus then transfer to the ferry at Kien Giang or Rach Gia. In the war, it can be call a hell of the world and jailed communist man with many savage torture. Now this island is so beautiful by many good attraction of beaches, jungle, amusement parks and luxury resorts.
You can visit many islands belongs the archipelago of Phu Quoc Island. In addition, if you want to become a fisherman, you can book a tour go fishing by boat or squid fishing in the night with many new experience. In addition, if you want to explore many However, you can visit another places not only beaches by trekking to the jungle and dive into the fresh water. On the night, you can visit the Dinh Cau Night Market to try some of local foods such as Goi Ca Trich, urchin, fish sauce or fresh sea food, etc.
The foggy city in South Vietnam: Da Lat
This city is very cold and peaceful however, it far away from Saigon and spend 8 hours on bus to arrive. The weather is fresh and cooler with many beautiful landscapes of hills, view, valley, etc. This city was found by French in the near XX century, that’s the reason for many French village and French architecture in here. Enjoying many goods experience by visit to many attraction place like Royal King of Bao Dai’s King, flower farms or many tourist area with wonderful landscape was check in by young people.
Almost young people visit here when they feel tired about their life, refresh yourself by fresh atmosphere, wonderful view of mountains and lake as well as the hot food on the cool night at Night Market. You can rent a motorbike in Da Lat to go around by yourself such as Xuan Huong lake, mountain pass or many thick of pine-tree, etc. Besides, having some of local foods at Night Market is very nice like Grill Sweet Potato, corn, eggs or Banh Trang Nuong, etc. If you want to enjoy the quiet place of Da Lat, try to find some coffee shop with great view like Panorama, Me Linh Coffee Garden, Memory Cafe Da Lat Pho, etc.
There are two ways to visit Da Lat by bus and plane. By bus, you can contact with Thanh Buoi Bus after one night stand, you will appear in Da Lat. By plane is faster, just 50 minutes to flight and landing on Lien Khuong Airport then transfer to the bus to come Da Lat city.
The beach city nearest Saigon: Vung Tau city
This city is about 100km from Ho Chi Minh City, which is the place for many household family relax after 1 week working. This city are very beautiful that’s cover by the beach with many beautiful roads between mountain passes and beaches. If you don’t like swimming, you can go around the city to enjoy the feeling of ocean atmosphere and sight-seeing many attractive destinations like Ki To statue, Pagodas, Piggy mountain pass, White Palace of Bao Dai’s King.
The best way to get here by bus, you can easy to find more companies with many supporting services to pick up you at hotel or gather destinations, etc. Normally, almost people come to this city to swimming, be aware with many restaurants in here, they often charge high prices with almost travelers. The local foods you must try in here are Ray hotpot, eggs salted cake, Banh Khot Vung Tau, etc. don’t forget to ask the price before buying something in here. Vung Tau are very noisy and crowded in the night weekend.
Exploring The Fishing Village in Mui Ne
This city is about 200km from Ho Chi Minh city. The beach in Mui Ne more beautiful than Vung Tau Beach. The tourism and travel are developing such as 10 kilometers of resort stretch on beach. Mui Ne has many beautiful places to travel like many small deserts, a huge sand hills include red and white sand, Po Sa Ngu Cham’s Tower. The sea food in Mui Ne are very fresh but be aware to charge high prices.
Some another activities you can try is jeep off road, jogging in the desert, board sliding in the sand of hills. Sometimes, you can join in many activity of local people like whale festival, fishing festival, kite surfing festival, etc. The main activity you must try is visiting the fish village of local people, it take places in the early morning, you can buy sea food by them with reasonable price. Moreover, Mui Ne are very famous about Fish Sauce.
Paradise in the real world: Con Dao Islands
In the past, Con Dao had a dark history, nowadays it very quiet by beautiful scenery. The largest island in Con Dao is Con Son. It looks like Phu Quoc, in the past French people jailed lots of political prisoners with savage torture. If you want to know more about the historical of Con Dao Islands, asking the local people they will tell many marvelous stories relate to spirit. Con Dao still wild because it less of tourist in here, don’t worry about the accommodation, The Six Sense Resort in Con Dao was chosen by Angelina and Brad Pitt family to relax, if you are the people love quiet and peace place avoid the noisy of city. Visit here are the best choice.
There are many species of wildlife such as coral, turtles, fish, monkey, etc. you can spread yourself in the wildlife of island like scuba diving and seeing the coral, finding the eggs of turtles, sun bathing on the private beach of resort.
Recently days, there are two ways to visit this island include ferry and plane. Using ferry, you should go to Vung Tau then transfer to the ferry and move to Con Dao after 3 hours. Using plane is faster in spite of higher price.
